Sled construction



May 16, 1933. c. H. MANEVAL SLED CONSTRUCTION Filed July 24, 1930 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PIA-TENT OFFICE] CHARLES HERBERT MANEVAL, OF DUNCANNON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' TO STANDARD NOVELTY WORKS, OF DUNCANNON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SLED CONSTRUCTION My invention relates to a sled with more particular reference to a desirable form of connection between the body and the runners of the sled.

A purpose of my invention is to provide structure of the character indicated adapted to easy and inexpensive manufacture and well suited to the needs of service.

A further purpose is to connect runners of inverted T section to the downwardly directed ends of spaced one-piece channel benches or knees fastened transversely to the sled by upwardly recessing the side portions of the channel ends to receive the upwardly directed flanges of the inverted T runners and to rivet the intermediate flat of each channel end to the flange of a runner.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

I have elected to show one form of my invention, selecting a form that is practical and efficient in operation and which wellillustrates the principles involved. 2

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a'sled having an improved construction embodying my invention. I

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Fi ure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section ta en upon the line 33 of Figure 2. 2

Figure 4 is an enlarged ure 3.

Figure 5 is a left side elevation of Figure 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views respectively of an end of acnefragment of Figpiece knee or bench and of a T runner, shown joined together in Figures 4 and 5.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all figures.

Describing in illustration and not in limitation and referring to the drawing My invention is believed to find its best application upon the flexible runner type of sled illustrated in the figures and in which the runners may be deflected laterally at the forward end by a transverse steering bar, the sled being steered to the right or left by right or left lateral deflection ofthe forward ends of the runners.

The invention embodies a form of knee or bench between the runners, there being normally two of these bench or knee connections and the invention being particularly advantageous at the more forward of these connections. f

The sled includes runners 10 and 11 having upwardly bowed forward ends making pivot rivet connections 12 and 13 at opposite ends of a transverse tie bar 14 with'the forward ends of flat metal extensions 15 of side rails 16 of the sled body. I

V Theside rails are tied together by cross pieces 17, 18 and 119, the bed 20 of the sled beingfastened at 21'to' the more rearward cross pieces 17 and 18 but are preferably not fastened to themore forward cross piece 19.

The steering bar 22 is pivoted at 23 to the bed and carries rigidly fastened to it a steering arm 24 pivotally connected at 25 to the front tie bar.

My knee or bench members 26 and 27 are placed under and fastened to the rearward and f'orward cross pieces 17 and l9 respecwhich, it is held by the rivets. The ends of the channel bend diagonally downward and then straight downw'ardat the extreme ends. I make the runners with an upwardly directed flange 29, each runner preferably having an inverted T section, the intermediate flange 29 directed upwardly and the cross face of the Tpresented downwardly.

I cut away or recess the ends of the side portions of the channel at 30 as best seen in Figures 3 to 6 to receive and fit the'upwardly directed flange '29 of the runner, the intermediate flat 31 of the kneeor .bench member coming outside the flange 29, and then rivet the channels and the upwardly directed flanges 29 of the runners has proved to be particularly desirable both from the standpoint of commercial appearance and of lessening the strain upon the rivets during steering, with a resultant material increase in the effectiveness of the joint.

lVhile I prefer to make this form of joint upon both the front and rearward knee or bench members it is more desirable at the forward bench in that the strains incident to steering are considerably greater here than at the rearward bench.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sled including a pair of spaced runners, an upwardly directed metal flange on each runner and a bench connection between the runners comprising a one-piece metal channel having a raised intermediate portion and downwardly directed straight ends fastening to the flanges of the respective runners, each end having downwardly directed recesses in the straight ends of the channel sides fitting over the upwardly directed flange of the runner and the flat of the channel riveting to the flange, the flange thereby presenting one face tothe flat and its other face against edges presented by the sides of the channel at the recesses.

2. In a sled, space-d metal runners of inverted T section, the runners bowing upwardly at their forward ends, rails vertically above therunners and fastened to the for ward ends of the runners, a tie between the rails at the forward ends thereof, a steering bar adapted to laterally deflect the ends of the rails by longitudinally moving the tie, a bench connection between the rails and run ners near the rearward ends thereof, a more forward bench connection between the rails and runners and a bed supported on said rails, said forward bench including a one-piece metal channel having a raised intermediate portion and downwardly extending straight ends fastening to the upwardly directed metal T flanges of the respective rails, the side portions of the channel being recessed at each straight end adjacent the intermediate flat portion thereof to fit the flange of the adjacent runner and a rivet fastening the fl-at of the channel to the flange, the flange engaging the flat of the channel on one side and the channel sides at the recesses on the other.

CHARLES HERBERT MANEVAL. 

